29 January 2015

What's shown below is an edited version of the rules blurb from 2014. The main thing is to complete the course under your own steam, without a support crew or ANY outside assistance (other than what is commercially available to every participant).

Text-ins (rather than 'call-ins') are to be made from designated towns along the route until you either finish or abandon the brevet. Text event HQ on 022 075 5887

What is the Kiwi Brevet? What defines it? How does it differ from a race?

The Kiwi Brevet is a cycle touring challenge. It is defined by the course and the event rules. You can complete the course without following the rules, but you will have completed something that is, to some degree, different from the 'Kiwi Brevet'.

A really great dirt brevet has a challenging time component, but that is only one small element of what defines success in this event. If there were 'winners' in the inaugural Kiwi Brevet, I would say they were the riders who exceeded their expectations and shared their adventures with others (through photos, blogs, amusing call-ins and articles, etc). If you can meet some of the locals, enjoy some great food and scenery; and finish uninjured with a little bit left in the tank, then you have done very well indeed! And if you enjoy the company of fellow breveteers - deepening old friendships or developing new - you've really hit the jackpot.

The event culture is largely determined by its participants, but the rules lay the groundwork for how the riders tackle the course. With that in mind, here are the rules for 2015.

1. Do it all yourself, under your own steam.

2. Riders must carry all their own gear (i.e. no domestiques, unless you are part of a team).

3. No outside support (deliveries only to public addresses, no support from friends along the way, no support vehicles of any kind meeting you along the way). Prior to the race you may only post supplies to post offices.

4. Follow 100% of the course.

5. It is recommended that riders carry a personal locator beacon, and agree to cover the cost of rescue in the event they need to be evacuated.

6. Riders must not complete the course in less than 4 days (This event is not about finding the fastest rider).

7. Riders must finish in under 8 1/2 days. That is, by 10pm on Sunday the 8th Feb.

8. Between 9am one day and 9am the next, every rider must spend at least one block of at least six hours not travelling. That is, the maximum time any rider may spend travelling along the course will be 18 hours (between each 10am-to-10am period)

9. When on public roads, follow the NZ Road Code.

10. Text-ins are to be made from designated towns along the route until you either finish or abandon the brevet, text event HQ on 022 075 5887

11. Riders must observe all rules laid down by land mangers along the route (such as the Department of Conservation). Riders must not camp or light fires in the McDonald Downs Stationsection or the North Bank of the Wairau forest section of the course.
We intend having a finishing list, BUT please remember this is not a sanctioned RACE. Now I fully understand the competitive nature of these events, I get it but please try to take part whilst keeping these guidelines in mind. This is a gentleman agreement, no one is out there watching your every move although the followmyspot site does provide near 24/7 ability to virtually do so.

Hi everyone, well with two days to go until kick off things have reached fever pitch here at race HQ.
That actually sounds a lot grander than reality, but Jo and I are certainly excited to get this bad boy under way!

To follow along (stalk) this year we are using followmyspot.com
This awesome site has been developed right here in Christchurch by the wonderful Shane Davidson. Shane is an active participant and passionate endurance and adventure junkie. Thank you so much Shane for all of your hard work on the site for our wee event!
Thanks also goes out to Tony Glentworth from SpotNZ who is providing the SPOT trackers for participants to hire.
Without these two fellas there would not be a 2015 Kiwi Brevet, thank you guys!

There is a permanent link in the under the Important Links heading on the right of the page.

Please spread this link far and wide, this is after all a spectator sport!

16 January 2015

By now I hope you have got your gear sorted and have managed to get out for a couple of overnighters to find out what a loaded bike rides like!

Jo and I have been busy with the last minute preparations.

If you are signed up in the last couple of days you should have received emails from us about the SPOT trackers (if you are hiring one or have your own, otherwise you won't have received an email). I sent out a separate email with the .gpx files and the links to the courses overlaid a NZTopo map, and finally today I sent another email out with the Cue Sheets, and couple of useful links and some other notes!!

I would like to once again thank Gary Mckensie for providing the .gpx files, links to the NZTopo maps and the basis for the cue sheets, you are a champion.

We will be having a meet n greet on Friday the 30th at Dodsons Beer Garden from about 6.30pm. They have a great selection of beers along with fantastic food. We have not "booked" a table or anything but have let them know we are coming, it's pretty informal! Jo and I will be there to answer any queries of course. Thanks to Mondo for organising the venue
We would like to issue SPOTs that evening to those who are there. Tony from SPOT NZ will be there to issue the units and answer any questions.

Briefing will be held at the Top Town Cinema at 4 Kinross Street, Blenheim at 8am on Saturday the 31st January
We have a wee bit to cover off that morning so try to be on time ;-)
We will issue any SPOTs not issued at the meet n greet, collect your SIGNED any indemnity forms (emailing out next week) and take a mud shot of you and your rig and of course do an event briefing.
Please don't be shy about having you photo taken, it's all fun and I promise we won't sell them.
BIG thanks to Duncan Mackenzie for making this available to us.

07 January 2015

Hi everyone, Happy New Year from both Jo and I.
I hope you all enjoyed a break, some great weather, a bit of time getting in "credit" with the family and a lot of riding!
Jo and I managed to get away for a couple of quick camping trips in-between working hence the lack of communication over the silly season.

We are well and truly in the Brevet swing now though.
I will email out cue sheets and a .gpx file by the end of next week. This .gpx file will be the official .gpx file, so if you choose to use your own .gpx file and go off course don't blame me ;-) Please note I have made a couple of slight changes to the map on mapometer, so if you have downloaded your own .gpx files from that you will need to do it again sorry. You can find the updated Brevet map here and Brevette map here.Please note that although we are providing cues and a .gpx file you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times. You cannot rely on the .gpx to be 100% accurate, or the cues for that matter. This is a SELF SUFFICIENT adventure :-)

We have spent a lot of time trying to get these as accurate as possible but things do change over time. I have overlaid my .gpx files from last year's Brevet to ensure accuracy of the file we are providing BUT it could still be slightly different on the ground.
Don't spend the entire time staring at the pink line on your GPS, lift your head up and take in the awesomeness that you are riding through! It is a wonderful country we live in (or you are visiting), take in as much of it as you can. Stop, smell the honeydew, take photos and enjoy it!
It isn't the World Championships or the Olympics, if you see something cool, stop and check it out, remember there are no medals on offer.

The hirage of the SPOT trackers is being managed by Tony at SpotNZ. Next week I will email out a link to the registration form. The cost is $125 per unit which includes hirage, a fresh set of batteries and tracking.
Those of you who have your own units I will send a separate email out asking for your ESN and Share Site page details.
Tony will be at registration to hand out the SPOT units and answer any questions.

Speaking of registration, our plan is to have a meet n greet on the Friday night and the actual event briefing on the Saturday morning.
The event briefing will be held at the Top Town Cinema at 8am on Saturday morning, that's right 8am. Start time is 10am this year, it's a long way to Hanmer ;-)
The meet n greet venue and time TBA.
We will be sending out registration forms prior to the event requiring emergency contact details etc. PLEASE fill them out before arriving in Blenheim and give them to us on the Friday night or Saturday morning.
We also want to get a photograph of EVERYONE and their bike. We would love to get some done on Friday night so if you can, turn up on your bike (preferably fully loaded), otherwise we will do it Saturday morning. Don't be shy, we all want to put a face to the "blue dot"!

The route

An 1100 and 600 km bicycle brevet around the top of the South Island - with as much off road riding as possible.

Event creator Simon Kennett rode the 4000 km Great Divide in 2008 and decided to replicate the experience in New Zealand. This is the original kiwi brevet that spawned several other brevet throughout the country.